Dimensions of buccal bone and mucosa at immediately placed implants after 7 years: a clinical and cone beam computed tomography study

Abstract

Fourteen patients attended the follow-up examination. In five implants almost no buccal bone was detected, whereas in the remaining nine implants the buccal bone was found covering the rough implant surface. No correlation was found between initial bone defects and bone dimensions at the follow-up examination. The sites without radiographically detectable buccal bone at the 7-year control presented with 1 mm more apical mucosal level in comparison to implants with intact buccal bone.